Electric-lamp socket.



N. 861,942. PATENTED JULY 80,11907.

. R. B. BENJAMIN.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.Wi/7h25 276 No. 861,942. PATENTBD JULY 3o, 1907.

Y R. B. BENJAMIN.

BLBGTRIGLAMP SOCKET. I AlPTLlIOATI-ON FILED 0071.17, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CM' k f" l, unirsi) srxrns.

lrnirnivr vomnes.

IREUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OFMCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, yOF CHICAGO,

NoIs.

To all 'whom t't may concern:

Beit known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful .Improvements in Electric-Lamp Sockets, of which the followingv is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the aci vcompanyiug drawing, forming a part of this specification.

- My invention relates to electric lamp sockets, and particularly to the arrangement of a row ofelectric lamp sockets within a metallic box orvcasing: In theaters uand in many otherplaces, it is desirable to have rows of electric lights, s'o mounted that said rows of lights may be conveniently moved from one place to another, and conveniently stored and taken care of `when not in use, without, danger of injury to the lanip sockets and without disconnecting the lamp sockets from the feed wires. 1 i

I have illustrated .in the accompany/ing drawings,

one form of my invention, 'which I have worked outV for accomplishing the above results, the other novel features of which will'appear from the following description of the drawings in which: l

Figure 1 is a plan view of v'my invention showing the lamp sockets and thein connections in dotted` lines, and showing the lamps connected upon a single, cirL cuit; FigSZ is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the invention, showing the lamps connected upon two circuits; Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of l; Fig, 4 is a sectional view showing aY modification of my invention; and, Fig. 5 is a View taken on the line 5%5 of Fig. 4.

Like reference ynumerals are usedI to designate like parts i`n the several fgures i i n I prferablyprovide a'metallic box or trough 1. Said trough may be of any desired length, and while I have shown a straight troughsor box, any desirably shaped box or trough may be employed without departing from the spirit of. my invention. The box or trogh'l, preferably has insulating bushings 2, 2, disposed in the ends thereof, said bushings being secured. to the box in a suitable manner, as by the nut 3, and having a central aperture 4. therein, said aperture being adapted to admit the supply Wiresy to the trough 'or box 1. The trough or box 1 may have any desirable number of-openings formed therein for the inlet and outlet of the feed'wires, and said openings may be disposed in the box or trough 1 in any suitable m'anner. The box or trough 1 preferably has a sheet metal cover 5, said cover Having apertures formed therein adapted to admit the lamps or lamp sockets, said cover being secured to the box or trough l in any suitable manner, said cover being shown assecured to an inwardly turned ange 6 formed upon the box or trough 1, by

speication of Letters Patent. Application filed otlbl 17, 1904. "SBN-.8.1 N0. 228,889-

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLI- ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

Patented July 30, 1907.

although this method of securing the lid or cover 5'in\ position is not essential. The box or trough I. is constructed sufficiently large to permit ample room for any number of circuit wires to pass through the box and the row of lamp sockets disposed within the trough or box 1, maybe co'nnectedup upon a single circuit as 'shown in Fig. l, or upon two or any desired number of circuits, as shown in Fig.` 2. The box or trough being preferably formed of sheet metal is light, moisture -and dust proof, and is sufficiently strongto protect the porcelain lamp sockets from injury when the trough or box is not in use. K

l Any desired form of lamp socket may be used with my improved trough or box, and said Vsockets may be securedtherein in any suitable manner. I prefer to construct the lamp socket of porcelain or other suitable insulating material, the end sockets'in Figs. 1 and 2 being secured to the lid o r cover 5, by means of screws or bolts 8, 8, passing through the cover; and engaging a -ilang'e 9 formed upon the lamp socket. An annular shoulder or bead 10, is preferably adapted to extend through the aperture formed in the cover or lid 5,. As will be seen, one of said lamp sockets iselliptical in form and secured in place by two screws 8, 8. This construction enables a larger number of sockets to be placed in position within a given trough or box than y the other. of said sockets which has three of the screws 8, A8, passing through the flange 9. Suitable center contact plates l1, 11, are secured to said sockets, pref- 1. erably by the screws y12, l2, said contact plates extending through apertures 13, 13, preferably formed inthe sides of the socket. The extended ends of said contact plates carry binding screws I4, 14, for making connection with the circuit or feed wires. The lamp yreceiving shells 15, l5, of said sockets are preferably secured in position by the screws 16, 16, suitable conshows another form of my invention, in which the` socket 19 is not secured to the cover 5, but is prefer# ably secured to the bottom of the box or trough l, said socket being show'n as secured by screws or bolts 20, 20, passing through the flange 21, formed upon the base f the socket vv19. The aperture in the tact/ plates 18, 18, being adapted to project through' The 'center lamp socket shown in Figs. 1 and` 2,

socket 19 adapted to accommodate-the lamp base is adapted to aline with an apertureY 22, iormed in the cover 5. The iorm of my invention illustrated'by the centrally disposedsocket 19u thoroughly protects the socketrjrom injury when the trough or box 1 is not 5 in use. It is desirable to build the trough or box 1 in sections, said sections being adapted to be connected together when in use, and being disconnected and thrown in a pile when not in use. It. will be seen that in the modification illustrated by the 'socket 19,

l the lamps 23 could be removed 'from the sockets 19, and ,the sections of the row of lights or the troughs or boxes 1,' could be thrown in a pile without danger of 4f/'injury in any way to the lamp sockets 19, or itsifelec- 'Y trical connections, no part of the sockets being adapted l5 to protrude through the openings 22 in the cover 5.

I. lThe socket 19 is'shown with acontact plate-24 secured to the sbrew-threaded shell or outer lamp contact by means of the screw or bolt 26, said contact plate carrying a binding screw 27, access to said bind- ZO- ing screwbeinghad preferably. through an aperture 2S formed' in the side of the socket 19, as shown in Fig. 2. The aperture 2 8 formed in the socket preferably has fflaring wall's, 1said walls Iserving to guide a loop formed in the feed wire to the binding screw,

25 said binding screw being accessible from the iront otl thes'ocket, as shown inFig. 1. A center contact plate 29 is preierably secured inpositionlby'a screw or bolt 30, said contact plate being adapted to' form electrical contactv with the center contact of the lamp and carry- 30 4ing a binding screw 31, said binding screw being dis- 'fposed within the socket 19, the leading-in wires being adapted to be secured to said binding screw through an aperture 2 8 formed in the side of the socket. l

` While 1 have iparticularly described the arrangement of the lamp contacts in the different'iomisof lsockets, `it will be 4understood that the detailed arrangement of said contacts may be varied and that the arrangement of the contact plates and binding screwsv above described in reference to the lamp 40 socket 19, maybe used- Sin connection with the end sockets shown in Figs'fland 2, and the arrangement oi the contacts and binding screws described'inqcon-l nectionwith said end sockets may be employed. in connection with the socket 19, withoutin any way effect- Jz15 ing the present inventiong' Referring to Figs. Lirland 5, the lamp socket 32 is i shown as secured to the` bottom ofthel trough or box 1, by means of screws 20, 20, anannular flange 33 carried by the socketbeing adapted tovpro'ject through ',50 theopening formed 1in the cover`.5, a compression washer 34, peferablyof rubber, being disposed between the cover; and thelbody"l of the socket 32; The contact plate 35 is suitablysecured to the lamp i receiving shell 15, and thecontact plante 36, forming vthe center lamp contact, ,is secured to the socket 'in suitable manner, vsaid contact plates 35 and 36 carrying binding screws 37, 37, for making. connecseneca@ tion with the feed wires, said binding screws being' accessible from the iront of the socket, grooves 38, 38, being formed in the bo of the` socket 32 to more readily atiord access to said binding'screws.

While I have illustrated1 and described lmy invention with particular reference to the details of con-v 'y struction for the purpose of revealingmy invention to others, I do not wish to limit myself to said details further than is defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combinaiion'with a suitable box, of awplurality of lamp sockets arranged therein, each comprising an `insulating base having n recess formed thereina lamp receivingl shell and associated-contacts disposed insaid recess, a pair of plates connecting with sai d contacts, binding posts carried by ,said plates andp'a' supporting flange formed on said base having screws or'bolts passing therethrough and securlng the socket in position in said box said`base having 7openings inthe side Wallsthereof to permit the supply vwires to be connected to the-binding posts of the socket.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a suitable box, of a plurality of lamp ysockets arranged therein, each comprising an insulating base having aV recess formed therein, av lamp receiving shell and associated 'contacts disposed in said recess,a pair of -plates connected with said contacts, binding posts carried by said plates and a supporting flange formed on said base having screws or bolts passing therethrough and securing the socket in position in said box, said base having openings in the side walls thereof to permit the connection of the supply wires to said binding posts and a removable cover for said box having openings therein registering with said sockets.

y 3. In a`device of the character described, the combination with a suitable box, of a plurality of lamp sockets arranged therein, each comprising a suitable base having arrecess formed therein and lamp contacts arranged Within said .recess and carrying binding posts accessible from the front of said box, said base having openings in the side walls thereof to permit the supply wires to be connected to' said` binding posts-and a cover .for said box having openings formed therein registering with said sockets.

f 4. In .a device of the character described, the combination with a suitable box, of .a plurality of lamp sockets arranged therein and^secured tothe bottom thereof, each comprisingr an insulating base having a recess formed therein, lamp sockets disposed within said recess, and binding posts accessible from the front of said box said base having openings in the side walls thereof to Vpermit the connection of the supply wires to said binding posts. 5. Inn device of the character described, the combinanon wit arranged therein and secured to the bottom thereof, each comprisingA an insulating base having 'a rec-ss formed therein, lamp contacts disposed within said rec ss, binding posts accessible Afrom the front of the box, saic base having openings in the side walls to permit the connection of the supply wiresto the'binding posts, and a cover for saidbozr-having'l openings therein registering with said sockets. Y

'In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed'my naine'in the presence of two witnesses.

i REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.'

' .Witnesses C, B. CANT,

v El. A', OLsEN.

a suitable box, of a plurality of lamp socketsn ilo 

